Информация об игре

Wednesday
16-4-2008
That VideoGame Blog interview

That VideoGame Blog interviews Blazej Krakowiak, Techland`s PR Product Manager, about the technology powering Dead Island, the challenges posed by projects of such scope and all the cool features players will get to play with in the game.
"If there is one thing that everyone can agree on it’s that killing zombies is hella fun. It’s with great joy then that I learned about Techland’s Dead Island coming out for the Xbox 360 and PC. The guys behind Chrome and Call of Juarez have developed a multi layer damage system that sounds like it’s going to make butchering zombies in FPS style gameplay one of the best looking and most fun pastimes, especially since you can do it with pretty much anything in the game.

That VideoGame Blog recently got the chance to interview Techland’s PR Product Manager Blazej Krakowiak, so a few of us (Zee, Brian, Mike, Rain and I) tossed a number of questions his way to find out a bit more about the independent developer/publisher and their upcoming survival horror game.

That VideoGame Blog (TVGB): Techland has been around for 11 years now. Where many others fail, what do you feel have been the driving factors for your relative success?

Blazej Krakowiak (BK): Techland remains an independent developer. This allows us to set our own standards and innovate without the need to fight a ponderous corporate machine. We keep creating quality games and constantly pushing our limits. Each of our projects has been bigger and more ambitious than the last one.

Our skills and experience in development are put to good use in our other role as a publisher. It allows us to understand both the needs of players and the problems that other developers face much better.


TVGB: The current edition of the ChromeEngine is an impressive one. With DirectX10, Pixel Shader 4.0, physics system, integrated networking and artificial intelligence, plus a host of other features, do you feel it provides enough technology to last through the revolution brought about by quad-core processors and groundbreaking stardard-setting games like ‘Crysis’?

BK:10 years of development have allowed us to polish Chrome Engine not only as powerful technology fuelling modern graphics but also a complete package that facilitates and improves the process of creating games. It’s not an abstract concept or technological demo but a tool which evolved together with our titles. The engine team is working closely with all our game developers to make sure Chrome Engine provides features we need.

TVGB: Let’s talk about Dead Island. First and foremost, the premise is halfway between LOST and a George Romero flick. A couple’s plane crashes on a remote, tropical island filled with zombies. I guess the immediate question that comes to mind is: why an island? Why not a remote mountain town? Or a desert setting?

BK: It’s the idea of apocalypse in paradise that makes our particular setting so appealing. Isolation from the outside world is obviously an important factor, in the best tradition of horrors, but there are other aspects. A tropical holiday resort is a place associated with relaxation and happiness. This makes the impact of the zombie outbreak even more overwhelming. This dissonance between subconscious expectations and reality is an important part of the atmosphere we’re creating.

TVGB: Innovation, I am sure you will agree, is central to every game. The reason games like BioShock and the Elder Scrolls series were so popular was partially because of a heightened sense of innovation, creativity and ingenuity blended into the core gameplay. In September 2007, at Games Convention, you mentioned that one of the things that sets Dead Island apart is that you rarely get to shoot. In fact, you do most of the fighting with objects you find lying around, such as a wooden plank or a crowbar. What are some of the other innovative elements that set this game apart from the hordes of others out there, and are there some parallels between Dead Island and SEGA’s Condemned series when it comes to melee combat?

BK:That’s a real challenge game developers face every day. It’s much more tricky than just cramming in as many new features as possible. Innovation for its own sake is worthless. Dead Island features many innovative ideas but our real effort goes towards ensuring that everything works together smoothly to create the best gaming experience possible.

It’s the scope of the game that really makes Dead Island unique. For example the ability to fight with objects found in the environment is taken to a completely different level. It’s no longer about a long list of weapons. If players can pick up an object, they can use it in a fight. Their way of looking at in-game locations will reflect the perspective of a person caught in a situation of extreme danger. “I need a weapon and I need it now”.

Honestly, whatever weapon you choose, it still looks awesome when it hits the enemies. One of my personal favorites is a giant hammer that construction workers use to demolish walls. It’s a bit slow but when it hits, the ground trembles :). While I’m wielding it, I feel a bit like a priest dishing out holy retribution to the undead. Indoors I prefer to throw sharp objects at zombies. Shards of glass, darts, letter openers, you name it. The look of the enemy still coming at you with all this stuff sticking out of his flesh is creepy.



TVGB: The Multi Layer damage system looks truly amazing. Will the transformation occur in real time as, say, you are bludgeoning an enemy zombie to dead with a blunt instrument? Or is it more of an iterative process of the zombies decaying over time? And how often is the player actually really close enough to witness the gory details up close and personal?

BK: All the transformations are calculated in real time, with per vertex accuracy. This is the revolutionary part of our damage system. It is possible to pre-script several ways of gradual decay and make it look convincing but we wanted more. All damage occurs exactly when and where the model is hit by a specific object. Sharp and blunt weapons cause different types of injuries, just like in the real world. Players will get plenty of opportunities to admire all those effects from the front row. Melee combat is important throughout the entire game and we’re adding a lot of features to make sure it never gets boring: new fighting moves, deadlier foes and other attractions that will be revealed in due time.

TVGB: The Multi Layer damage system also brings up another important question. It is apparent that ‘human physics’ has been carefully and deliberately constructed to aid in the close-quarters gaming experience of hand-to-hand zombie fighting. Will object physics also come into play? Games like Half-Life 2, Crysis, and the upcoming Red Faction: Guerilla Warfare are taking in-game physics to a near real-life level. How accurately will the physical modeling in Dead Island represent real world elements?

BK: World physics are not our focus in this game. With the ability to manipulate the environment limited to the equivalent of human strength, it’s much more important to perfect the combat controls and tissue damage. All objects will have correct physical properties, we can also model any materials we need, physics of gases, liquids and fire also come into play on various occasions. All this serves as a realistic background rather than a feature we want to wave around because this isn’t what Dead Island is about.

TVGB: So attacking the zombies is going to be great, but what about when zombies attack the player? Will the game lean more towards a Resident Evil style of a few zombies at a time or will there be an onslaught of living dead more like House of the Dead?

BK: Zombies in Dead Island come in several variations, each with different abilities and behavior. There is no single pattern for the number of the enemies. They may move individually or in small groups or they can completely flood the place when there is something to draw large numbers of them. Even a single zombie can be dangerous and scare the living daylights out of the player.

TVGB: There appears to be four main points to the story. 1. Survive. 2. Find your woman. 3. Figure out how the zombie infestation came about. 4. Escape the island. How much of an actual story can we expect - will the player be thrown in the middle of a huge storyline or fed little chunks here and there to keep the player moving from one location to another?

BK: There is definitely a story behind all that and it’s big. Those initial goals appear straightforward but there is more than enough to fill the space between them. Think of the initial objectives as an earthquake at the beginning, from there on the tension will keep rising right to the end. Dead Island definitely is story-driven.

TVGB: How do you hope to keep that tension going? Will the horror be more of a slasher/gore kind of scary or suspense driven? A mix of both?

BK: A mix of whatever’s best to keep the excitement up. There will be plenty of gore because it makes sense, not because we’re pouring red onto the screen. Players will experience the situation of extreme danger and desperation that the main character gets thrown into. The atmosphere is the most important factor in a horror and we’re making sure that all parts of the game contribute to it. Dead Island has an exciting and immersive plot, frightening enemies, the unique setting of apocalyptic reality in a tropical paradise and adrenaline-pumping fights to provide the ultimate survival horror experience.

TVGB: It appears that the player has the option of interacting with survivors as well as joining certain factions on the island to combat the zombie menace. These RPG elements necessitate a somewhat open-ended environment. Is the game progression linear, or does the player control how everything plays out along the over-arching main storyline?

BK: There is a mix of both. The main storyline has clearly defined goals that may evolve or increase in number but which are always of utmost importance to the main character. Players still have a lot of flexibility in the way they approach each objective so it’s not the typical linear progression.

Aside from the main plot we have a ton of side quests. They’re optional but each of them is interesting and allows players to explore, understand and fully appreciate the world of Dead Island. We have created believable, living characters with their own stories and their personal goals may support or contradict our main character’s cause. By delving deeper into the reality their small apocalypse, we can gain a significant advantage thanks to experience, items and information we obtain. I want to emphasize that ‘RPG elements’ and a more open-ended structure of the game don’t mean boring interruptions with players wandering around aimlessly, looking for something to occupy themselves. Far from it. Side quests bring even more exciting action to the game.



TVGB: How many hours of play time can gamers look forward to?

BK: It’s too early for such specifics. ‘Enough to thoroughly enjoy the experience’ is all that can be said at this point.

TVGB: What type of character health system will Dead Island be using? Are we going to see the re-birth of health bars, or will the game feature the now-standard regenerating intuitive health levels?

BK: This is one of the things we’re still prototyping and playtesting extensively. Both options have their own advantages and downsides. The intuitiveness of the regenerating health system is debatable and very unrealistic. Nothing is set in stone yet but we’re actually leaning towards the traditional, visible health indicator.

TVGB: In an interview earlier this year, you mentioned that you didn’t want to dilute the single player element by delving into a half-hashed multiplayer aspect of the game. Do you feel that this decision may take away from some of the replayability value of the game? Additionally, with traditionally single player games like Grand Theft Auto finally delving into multiplayer modes as well, do you feel that incorporating multiplayer, perhaps at a later date may be a feasible and prudent option?

BK: Forcing the idea of an excellent single-player game into a completely different environment of multiplayer can be just as bad as the single-player „story mode“ of pure online shooters. Dead Island is a survival horror relying on its mature, immersive story and unique atmosphere. There is no room for multiplayer or even co-op in our current vision of this title. We love multiplayer games and it’s possible we’ll make one in the future. For the moment we’re concentrating on delivering a complete and enjoyable single-player experience.

TVGB: Dead Island, along with other games you currently have in development, will be released on PC and Xbox 360. Why the decision to leave PS3 owners out of the fun?

BK: We’re currently in the process of adding PS3 capability to Chrome Engine. Once it’s done, all decisions regarding the release of our games will depend solely on the publisher.

TVGB: Violence in games has been an even hotter topic than usual as of late. How are you influenced by the press and restrictions that are placed on titles like Manhunt 2? Has there been anything you’ve had to think twice about before adding it to Dead Island in anticipation of it being too gory/graphic to receive an acceptable rating in some territories? And how do you feel about an organization deciding whether or not a game should be released at all; do you think there should be limit when even a ‘Mature’ rating isn’t sufficient?

BK: The right of certain organizations to effectively censor video games by refusing to rate them is a case of pure hypocrisy. Obviously there are laws that specify things excluded from the freedom of expression, like the Nazi ideology or encouragement to commit crimes. Anything beyond those laws – and there should be as few of those as possible – should be available to adults who can make their own decisions. I am sure that everyone would agree that it’s impossible to effectively ban anything in a democratic country with access to the internet. It’s better to have a consistent, independent and complete rating system covering all titles than to refuse some games their rating which results in confusion on the customers’ part.

We’ve been aiming at the Mature rating from the beginning. Dead Island is a survival horror. It features gore and violence because it’s a part of our story. Of course from the business standpoint the rating organizations are important but we’re not afraid that we’ll have to somehow ‘gimp’ Dead Island to satisfy them."






Friday
28-3-2008
Interview at Onipepper

All the things you wanted to know but was afraid to ask and much more are finally revealed. Onipepper.de interviews Techland`s Blazej Krakowiak about the development team`s drinking habits and bad musical taste.

"Dead Island Interview English Version

Oni:
Dead Island is about a couple flying to the vacation of their dreams, but for god’s sake the plane crashes, the girl gets lost and the hero protagonist finds himself on a beautiful, but zombie infested island fighting for his life and trying not to get his brain eaten. To what extent were Zombie Cocktails involved in the plane crash, did the pilot drink too much of this devilish cocktails ? And what we’re even more interested in is, when did your company forbid the developers to drink Zombie Cocktails (LinkLink) during work time ?

Techland:
We can’t vouch for the soberness of the pilots but there might be more nefarious forces involved in the plane crash. We obviously shouldn’t even have suggested that there were any nefarious forces anywhere in the game. No spoilers. As for the development team, we’re all drunk with weariness, working hard to bring you the ultimate zombification that is Dead Island. Whenever any of the devs feel like increasing their personal zombie factor, they’re free to do so after work. Zombie Cocktail, Mad Dog and Bloody Mary are recommended but not mandatory J.

Oni:
The international press is full of grumblers, what would you say if someone of these implies, Dead Island is just mixture between any Zombie movie and the Lost TV series ?

Techland:
Zombie movies don’t allow people to actually live the experience. Watching other people face-off with zombies is cool but getting into the fray, from first person perspective no less, is infinitely better. As for Lost, we don’t have emo cast wandering around empty landscapes or bunkers housing lobotomized HAL 9000s. Our island is a popular tourist resort with all the shiny five star stuff and motels for cheapskates. There are so many cool places to visit that the fact of them being overrun with zombies is only a minor inconvenience. One legitimate reason for grumbling may be the lack of John Locke in our game but everyone knows that you can’t please all of the international press.

Oni:
In the recent past there was a volley of reproaches. Zombie games are racist, because only certain ethnic groups got zombified. Will there be German, Aborigine, Asian, Eurasian, Innuit or even Polish Zombies ? So, how many different ethnic groups will be represented as Zombies in Dead Island ?

Techland:
That ‘controversy’ was so ridiculous, that it was almost sad. Some attention-seeking girl (LinkLink) made an issue of the fact that an African village in the RE5 trailer actually had African people inhabiting it. Of course the fact that in all the previous games of the series Caucasian zombies were shot by people of various races and both genders escaped that blogger’s notice.
Undead in DI are mostly zombified tourists . That should answer your question about German zombies and pretty much all other nationalities that are likely to visit a holiday paradise on a Pacific island. But you know the medieval words of wisdom that death makes all people equals. Rising from the dead doesn’t change that fact.

Oni:
You are well known Zombie fans. Did you play any games, read any comics, watch any movies so often while researching for Dead Island, that you won’t touch them ever again ? If so, which ones?

Techland:
Zombie Night (LinkLink). You can read the movie plot summary somewhere on the web but be warned: even that short and distorted glimpse into the reality of that cinematic atrocity will probably damage your mind forever.

Oni:
Dead Island is only annouced for Xbox 360 and PC by now. Please take this opportunity to announce another platform for the game. PS3, please ? Or perhaps Wii ? Wii would be a great platform as it is just a zombified Gamecube. So wouldn’t it make sense to bring this game to the Nintendo platform ?

Techland:
We’re currently working on extending the compatibility of our engine to the PS3 platform. Once we’re done, it will be possible to bring Dead Island and any other Techland game to the Sony console. For now there are no plans for it but we’re not ruling it out for the future.

Oni:
Dead Island is not the first and probably not the last Zombie game (you’re planning a sequel right now, we guess, aren’t you ?). Don’t you fear Zombie games will have the same destiny as World War II Games ? Most people give a loud groan when they hear about another new WWII shooter. Nevertheless they buy the game, but with hindsight complain the missing innovation. What are you going to do to avoid such complaints ?

Techland:
It’s hard to actually reinvent World War II (one overhyped game made the attempt and failed miserably) but there are still some very good titles telling that story. Dead Island is so innovative that we’re not even slightly worried of people calling it ‘just another zombie game’. And we’re not thinking in terms of expansion packs, sequels or trilogies, honest. Our game will hit the stores as a complete experience, not an appetizer. We have a serious and immersive story, unique FPP point of view, deep melee combat system, awesome locations and several varieties of zombies. Beat that, WWII shooters!

Oni:
Puhh. Now for the final question: Which bands or songs beside White Zombie, Misfits, Cranberries/Zombie and Faith No More/Zombie Eaters will be on the soundtrack ?

Techland:
Britney has recently risen from the grave so we might consider her as well. We can also take a different approach and try the Rolling Stones who are, hands down, the most zombified band out there.
On a more serious note, we’re aware just how important the soundtrack is for any horror game. We’re putting a lot of effort into sound effects and music for Dead Island. It will be rather on the heavier and darker side but nothing is set in stone yet.

Oni:
Thank you very much for the interview. Now it’s your turn to tell our readers, why they should buy Dead Island at any rate:

Techland:
Just imagine it: apocalypse hits paradise. Wonderful, tropical locales crawling with zombies. Frightening zombies. You can grab whatever object comes in handy and fight the undead bastards for a worthy cause. There’s the wife to save, and other survivors to assist.
It’s a game that offers intense and realistic experience in the world of modern zombie apocalypse and it’s all made with fun gameplay in mind."




Tuesday
25-3-2008
Dead Island featured on IGN AU

IGN Australia posted a long and interesting interview with two exclusive screenshots and new information about Dead Island.

"Australia, March 22, 2008 - We all know the zombie apocalypse is coming. It's no longer a question of if, but when. And whether it's in ten years or a hundred, it makes sense to be prepared; to play through the role of human survivor in a zombie playground. Thankfully, videogames provide fertile training grounds, and as a result I'm mildly confident that should I be trapped in a shopping mall or some kind of spooky mansion, I'll be able to make it through. But what about a tropical paradise? What happens when you glance up from your hammock by the beach to see a legion of the undead lumbering their way towards you, the wind's gentle susurrus of only moments ago replaced by the cry of 'braaaains'? Dead Island is here to guide you through it.

In development at Techland, the team behind the underrated gunslinging title Call of Juarez, Dead Island's open-world gameplay seems to be shaping up well, and is backed ably by some killer tech. To find out a little more, we got in touch with Techland's Pawel Kopinski who kindly answered our questions.


IGN AU: Call of Juarez received mixed reviews – some people loved it, others, not so much. Why do you think that was?

Pawel Kopinski: Call of Juarez was a mature title for a mature audience with storyline playing a very important role. It was also a "first" in many regards. The first title with full DX10 support, for one. The idea of two playable characters pitted against each other, with completely different gameplay for each of them was also novel. It's worthwhile to note that many complaints about the first reviewed version of the game were addressed in an extensive patch and free enhancement pack for the PC version and later incorporated into the X360 port. Vast improvements were made in both the gameplay and the technical side.


The pimp slap is the zombie's greatest offensive weapon. That and eating your brain through your skull.

IGN AU: What did you learn from Call of Juarez (or previous games that you've developed) that you're bringing to Dead Island?

Pawel Kopinski: Each completed project gives us more experience in all aspects of game development. In fact, daily improvements and major upgrades to our proprietary Chrome Engine (currently in its fourth version) force the entire team to constantly acquire new skills. CoJ was our first multi-platform title and its success is a huge boost to our confidence. We have a great idea for a game, we have cutting edge technology at our disposal and we have the skills to pull it off. We needed all that to tackle Dead Island, an ambitious and complex project.

IGN AU: What's the core setting and storyline for Dead Island? Where did the concept come from?

Pawel Kopinski: First of all, like many gamers out there we're zombie fanatics. We crave movies and comics featuring the living dead of all shapes and sizes. We have always wanted to make a zombie game not just for the fun of it but because the existing titles were missing something. They were either not taking their story seriously or the so-called zombies weren't really zombies at all.

Dead Island allows players to live the story of an unlikely hero who finds himself stranded on a tropical island following a plane crash. Not only is his wife missing but the entire holiday paradise is devastated by a deadly virus that turns people into vicious walking corpses.

IGN AU: How different are your zombies from George A. Romero's archetypal zombies? Or from Resident Evil 4's not-quite-zombies? What do we need to know to take them down?

Pawel Kopinski: There will be more than one type of zombie in Dead Island but the most typical and numerous one is going to be closer to the classic "Romero" variety. It has limited intelligence and is unable to use any tools or weapons. One similarity with RE4's zombies I can think of is the fact that our undead are also victims of a virus infection that transforms them into shambling, bloodthirsty nightmarish creatures.


Hammock? Check. Pina Colada? Check. Horde of hungry zombies? Check.

IGN AU: What makes Dead Island different from a standard survival horror title or first person shooter? Can you tell us about some of the RPG elements?

Pawel Kopinski: Dead Island adds much more depth to both genres. On one hand it's a survival horror with all the excitement of shooters and on the other it's an FPP game with immersive, terrifying and believable storyline and exciting melee combat. RPG elements are there to add even more fun and variety. Character development, optional quests and new fighting abilities to learn mean that there's always something new to discover.

IGN AU: Dead Island takes a non-linear approach to game structure – can you give us some examples of how the player's actions will have long term consequences?

Pawel Kopinski: Interaction with other survivors on the island can serve as a good example. Let's say we get a chance to deliver much-needed supplies to a camp. Later on its occupants may offer us something in return: information or items. Choosing not to help the camp, or worse to unleash zombies on the innocent people by sabotaging the defences, we deprive ourselves of that extra assistance. In addition our reputation can make dealing with other groups very difficult.

We can accidentally or purposefully get a very important character killed. That can have all sorts of consequences, from depriving us of a convenient access route to a minor goal all the way to changing the game's ending.


Help me Oprah!

IGN AU: Can you illustrate some of the challenges that come with designing an open-world?

Pawel Kopinski: It's a question of how much freedom players should get at any given stage. It is important to ensure that the story is told by the journey itself, not only in specific locations scattered all over the island. One of the dangers posed by open-world design is the difficulty of maintaining the pace. There is a lot of freedom in certain areas where players can wander around picking fights and completing quests but some locations are more confining and offer only minor tactical choices. We never allow the player to roam aimlessly, looking for something to do. Balancing it all is one of the most important challenges we face.

IGN AU: How dynamic will the AI in the game be?

Pawel Kopinski: The funny thing about zombie AI is that it's very difficult to make it convincingly dumb ’є. Walking dead must be frightening not suicidal. They have to react to players' actions and to changes in the environment. Another difficulty comes from the fact that zombies often appear in groups or even crowds and still need to move about. Our enemies have instincts that can be used to manipulate them to some extent. We won't spoil the experience by revealing too much because experimenting with the AI is going to be fun.

Of course human opponents that also appear in Dead Island will display all the expected abilities and sneakiness of our kind: cooperation, attacking from cover or outflanking.
IGN AU: Dead Island focuses heavily on melee combat. Can you tell us a little about the melee mechanics?

Pawel Kopinski: Melee combat is severely underappreciated and rarely used in the FPP genre. In Dead Island we're adding much more depth to it. In real life it isn't easy to obtain firearms in a holiday paradise. Many guns that had been there were already snatched by other survivors. This means that players will need to improvise weapons from objects found in the environment. Any item that can be picked up can also be used in a fight. The type and size of the object determines the fighting style. There's a world of difference between slashing in close quarters with a combat knife and throwing an LCD panel from a distance.

All of this is reflected in thousands of varied animations depicting hundreds of fighting moves in different styles. They are determined by the nature of the weapon: its size, weight and the type of damage inflicted on the target. Thanks to our advanced multilayer damage system the effect each weapon has on enemies is also realistic. Blunt weapons cause fractures and internal injuries while sharp objects cut into skin and tissue. Last but not least we're developing an innovative control system that allows precision without getting in the way of fun.


Unwanted houseguests are like fish... wait, what was that quote again?

IGN AU: Is it tricky to make melee combat work in first person? How do you ensure that it's just as entertaining as gunplay?

Pawel Kopinski: There's definitely a challenge there but it's offset by some very important advantages. Not being able to see the entire character model as it engages in melee is a downside for some people. We're sticking with the FPP view because it's an important part of our idea of storytelling in Dead Island. Seeing the world with the eyes of the main character allows players to really immerse themselves in the onscreen events. One could argue that TPP camera offers a wider view which makes fights easier but on the other hand FPP enables much more accurate targeting. With our ultra-precise damage model aiming at the right spots really makes a difference. The necessity to go toe-to-toe with the terrifying undead means that players are in for a very intense experience.

The only way to ensure the highest quality and great fun is extensive playtesting. We're creating countless iterations of each scene, pretty much like movie directors, until we're 100% satisfied with the results. Another important factor is the drive to perfection and attention to detail. We're using both rotoscopy and motion-capture to create flawless animations that are much more important in close-up melee than in any gunfights.

IGN AU: Dead Island sounds very much like it will feature a lot of 'sandbox' elements – using everyday items as weapons, setting environmental traps for zombies, and so on. Can you give us an example or two of some of the coolest weapons you can wield and traps you can set?

Pawel Kopinski: We don't want players to think in terms of specific weapons and specific traps. Rather we'd like them to look around a place and immediately know what they can use. If it can be picked up by a human in real life, it's a weapon. Traps can involve all sorts of mechanics. Stuff can be thrown or dropped onto enemies, enemies can be pushed off ledges. There's electricity, gases and liquids that can be combined to ruin the zombies' day. One of our favourite weapons is an iron ’є. Of the more standard variety, machetes are very handy in combat.


In a world where almost anything can be a weapon you just had to go with the crowbar, didn't you? Freeman wannabe...

IGN AU: Tell us about Chrome Engine 4. What are its technical strengths? How are you utilising it to enhance Dead Island's gameplay?

Pawel Kopinski: Chrome Engine in its fourth edition is an impressive and flexible tool. It has all the features expected of a world-class 3D engine and we're putting them to good use in Dead Island. The multilayer damage model with its realistic simulation and rendering of skin, tissue and bone injuries provides frightening per vertex visualizations worthy of the horror genre. It also adds more depth to combat allowing players to target specific areas and inflict crippling damage.

Top-notch visual effects like dynamic lighting, shadows, volumetric gases and interactive environments allow us to create the atmosphere of mystery and fear. Another feature we're still working on is the A-Life system controlling the behaviour of zombies and NPCs, contributing to a vision of chaos in the face of the epidemic.

Another very useful technical feature is the ability to render large numbers of fully animated 3D characters on screen without compromising performance. If you're thinking about huge hordes of zombies displayed with efficiency that no other FPS can match, you're right.

IGN AU: We've seen the real-time deformation tech for your characters – how difficult was it to develop this system and keep the game running smoothly?

Pawel Kopinski: It took a lot of hard work on all stages of development. Prototyping, coding and testing technology that hadn't existed before was a real challenge. It did pay off in the end, didn't it? We have a reliable, working system that will offer great flexibility in all of our future titles.


Good luck eating my brains now... sucker.

IGN AU: Will Dead Island have co-op through the main game? Will it have adversarial multiplayer modes? If so, can you tell us about any of them?

Pawel Kopinski: We're not planning any multiplayer modes at the moment. Dead Island is focused on an intense, storyline-driven single player experience. It would have to be designed from the start as a co-op game or the multiplayer mode would be only very loosely linked to our core gameplay. We didn't want the former and we definitely don't want the latter. There is a solid zombie multiplayer game on the horizon that doesn't feature any significant single player fun so there's plenty of room for Dead Island."





Thursday
13-3-2008
Dead Island interview at NxGamers

Techland`s PR Product Manager Blazej Krakowiak answers questions about the development team and the exciting features of Dead Island.

"UFG-Spotlight- Interview with a Zombie!
Interview with a Zombie!
Written by: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 03/07/2008

I was honored recently with being able to interview Blazej Krakowiak, a product manager at Techland, about the upcoming Dead Island for the Xbox 360 and PC. This has got to be one of the coolest games announced for the 360 that have to do with zombies (besides Resident Evil 5 of course). With out further delay, here is my interview with Krakowiak!


UFG-Thanks for taking the time out to talk to us. We really appreciate it! Before we get into the game mechanics of Dead Island, can you tell our readers who might not of heard about DI a little about story?

We meet our hero while hes en route to a well-deserved vacation on a tropical island with his wife. This is where things go awry and the plane crashes. He wakes up and realizes that his partner is missing and the island is crawling with terrifying undead.

The main character must fight through the tourist paradise-turned-hell, uncover the mystery of the zombie epidemic and find his missing wife. At least thats how simple things look at first.

UFG-What was some of your inspirations for Dead Island? Did you look at other games in the survival horror genre?

Its impossible not to think about certain movies and games while making a zombie game. We like 28 Weeks Later very much for its specific vision of modern apocalypse. The entire development team are fans of the original Dawn of the Dead. I think that the Walking Dead comic series also deserves a mention. Among all the horror games in our collection we really like Resident Evil for its unique atmosphere and Dead Rising for the intimidating hordes of zombies. Theres something we can learn from Condemned 2 or Silent Hill. All that being said, were still making our own distinct game without copying anyone.

UFG-Being a big zombie fan, I have been reading about DI for some time now. I was wondering, is DI going to be a free roaming game where you can go anywhere at the beginning (similar to Far Cry) or is it going to be more of a sandbox game where you have to pick up missions (similar to Grand Theft Auto)?

I think that Far Cry would be a bit closer in this case but still a far cry from what were trying to achieve if youll pardon the pun. Players will have a lot of choice regarding their destination, the means of achieving their goals and their relations with other human survivors. At the same time the overriding, important goals will be clear throughout the game. Clear not only to players but more importantly to the character they will be playing. The believable, living (and unliving) world were creating will also pose certain limitations but they wont be artificial. For example its obvious that wandering through the jungle alone and unarmed is a very bad idea. This is the sort of limitations that players will encounter.



UFG-I know that you can use all the elements of your environment as weapons in order to fight off the undead. How many weapons do you think will be in the final build of DI? Also, will we be able to combine weapons (like taping a flashlight onto a gun)?

The whole idea is that there wont be a fixed number of weapons til the day we finish designing and placing new objects in the game. We want to allow players to improvise new weapons intuitively. A healthy defensive reaction of an unarmed person attacked by a very aggressive and dangerous opponent is to grab any object at hand and use it. We want to allow players to perceive the environment in Dead Island that way. There will be possibilities to combine and improve weapons, were even experimenting with a system allowing to mix chemicals. As soon as were 100% satisfied with the way it contributes to the game well explain it in greater detail.
UFG-Is it possible to use the environment in more defensive ways? Like if we run into a house for safety, can we move furniture up against the door to keep the zombies out?

This is a must-have feature since we want to create a terrifyingly real environment of the zombie-infested island. We will give players the ability to use their intelligence advantage over zombies to deadly effect. With realistically simulated physics of gases, liquids, fire and electricity combined with freedom in manipulating objects we can promise many exciting opportunities to ruin a zombies day.
UFG-When it comes to the hand-to-hand combat features, I cant help but think about the upcoming Condemned 2. How do you think Dead Islands melee combat will differ from games like Condemned?

Our melee combat is designed to merge seamlessly with two other design features. First comes the aforementioned ability to turn any object into a weapon. It makes going toe-to-toe with undead more survivable and more fun by adding a little tactical depth to the equation. Second is the unparalleled multi layer damage model we can use to visualize all damage inflicted on our enemies. This is very important because players can see the effects of their actions and accurately target certain vulnerable areas. On top of all that weve added character development to ensure that that there are many new fighting moves and finishers to learn, constantly adding more variation and effectiveness to combat.

UFG-What is the multi-layered damage System?

Its an innovative technology that allows for simulation and visualization of body injuries with incredible accuracy and realism. It uses three separate layers to calculate damage sustained by skin, muscles and bones. They can be damaged independently of each other just like in real life. We can then show the consequences on any character model with per vertex accuracy. You cant get any more precise than that in 3D graphics.
UFG-Seeing that DI will use a (extremely cool) damage system, will we be able to target specific body parts when attacking? Will we be able to break limbs?

Yes and yes. I think that my previous answer covered that question as well. Players will be able to target specific body areas and the enemies will react accordingly.
UFG-Will there be any threats to the main character that arent zombies?

Definitely. An epidemic-stricken island is an extremely dangerous place. There are always people willing to make a profit no matter the cost. Others are simply desperate to survive and wont back up. Then theres the wildlife of the tropical island, returning to the areas vacated by the decimated human population. The players are going to be afraid and under pressure all the time as every decision becomes a calculated risk.

UFG-I remember playing Dead Rising one day and thinking a lot of these zombies look alike. How many variations of zombie do you think will be in the final game?

More than in Dead Rising J. Aside from varied models well also have different types of zombies with their own traits and behavior. This is still one of the things were working on but it can only get better and better.

UFG-Will there be any multiplayer components?

At this time there are no plans for multiplayer. Dead Island is very storyline-driven. Its not only about excellent gameplay but also the overall experience and of course the fear. Its impossible to achieve when theres a buddy playing alongside, cracking jokes about zombies. And were definitely not including a simplified arcade mp mode just to tick an extra feature on the box.

UFG-I guess my last question has to do with a possible sequel. I know its a bit early to ask about sequels, but there seems to be a trend nowadays to make trilogies in the gaming industry. Was there any thought of making Dead Island sequels? If not, can we expect to see any downloadable content once Dead Island is in stores?

Dead Island will hit the stores as a complete, immersive experience. This is our aim and were not thinking in terms of sequels or additional content at the moment.

UFG-Thanks for your time! I cant wait to get my hands on a copy of Dead Island. Speaking of which, when to think DI will hit the shelves?

It is really too early for dates. This is an enormous project and there is still a lot of work ahead of us. Well keep you posted.

UFG-Again, thanks for talking with us!

The pleasure is on our side and thanks for your interest in Dead Island. Make sure to check the official site at http://deadislandgame.com."





Tuesday
12-2-2008
Dead Island interview by GCN
Gaming Console Network has published interview with Pawel Kopinski - Dead Island PR Product Manager.

"Gaming Console Network's Editor-in-Chief Sean Foster had a chance to chat with Techland's very own Pawel Kopinski (PR Product Manager) about their upcoming Xbox 360/PC zombie epic "Dead Island".

This is one of the most anticipated Xbox 360/PC games for the GCN staff (especially myself being a huge zombie fan since the early 80's). The game will have you fighting the undead in a FPP Survival Horror set on a tropical island paradise. What we learned is that the development team are great fans of the Zombie genre and Techland has a lot of great things in store in 2008 with Dead Island, including a possible PC/Xbox 360 Demo.

GCN: Thank you for taking the time today to answer some questions about the upcoming Survival Horror Game Dead Island for the Xbox 360 and PC. Being a gore lover myself and a die-hard zombie fan, this is a game I am really looking forward to it in 2008. One of the first questions I am dying to ask is after seeing the screenshot of the game and the trailer, did the developers have any influence from zombie films of the past, any influences from the two masters of the undead genre... George Romero (Night, Dawn, Day & Land of the Dead) or Lucio Fulci (Zombi, Zombie 3, City of the Living Dead, etc)?

All of those titles and more. It's often difficult to point to specific titles because all horrors, especially zombie movies, had some influence on us. There is no single 'right way' to show zombies in games or movies. Each vision brings something valuable to the table and we're trying to absorb all of it. In the end zombies in Dead Island are our own creative vision but not without a bow to all the classics and contemporary creators.

GCN: Are the developing crew fans of the zombie/undead genre? Any personal all-time favorite zombie movie?

Of course we're fans! There are stacks of zombie comic books lying around in the studio. From the company CEO down to the graphic artists, we're all watching movies, both classics and the newer titles. The old "Night of the Living Dead" is a popular favorite but there are also fans of the "28 Days Later" series. We're embracing the zombie heritage in its entirety :).

GCN: Without giving too much away, Could you give us a basic story of Dead Island? How do we end up in paradise facing the undead?

At first glance, it's a scenario that can happen to any of us. A young couple flying to vacation of their dreams on a popular tropical island resort becomes separated by a plane crash. It turns out that something is seriously amiss because the island is infested with zombies while small groups of people struggle to survive. And that's just a beginning of a compelling story full of twists and frightening surprises. We can't reveal anything more really, as uncovering the mystery of the zombie plague is an important part of the story. Aside from that, the main character will have to find his missing wife, fighting for his very life every step of the way. Only things will soon stop looking so simple :).

GCN: Will there be on-line play with Dead Island or are you concentrating more on a one player experience?

We're definitely concentrating on single player. An excellent story is too important to us to dilute it for some simplified multi-player mode.

GCN: Any plans for a PS3 port of Dead Island?

No such plans at the moment although it's up to the publisher to decide.

GCN: The video released a while back (which I will put in the article) showed a Multi-Layer Damage System and Deformation. It looked amazing and it also looks like the developers are taking the survival horror genre one step further with Dead Island. Any plans for a new trailer before the games release?

We're very proud of the damage system but it's just one of the many exciting innovations we have in store. There will definitely be more trailers, screenshots and previews before the game comes out. A playable demo for both platforms is also in our plans.

GCN: Speaking of that Multi-Layer Damage trailer. I loved the dark, ambient music playing throughout it. Is that the kind of music we can look forward to hearing while playing Dead Island?

Music and sound are two very important ways of building the atmosphere in horrors. That's something of utmost importance to us. The final soundtrack hasn't been set in stone yet but rest assured that we're giving it a lot of attention.

GCN: Last but not least, It looks like the zombie genre has new life these past few years in the cinema with movies like 28 Days Later/28 Weeks Later and Romero's Land of the Dead. Over here in the US George A. Romero's "Diary of the Dead" is set to release next week in theaters? If it comes out where you guys are, any plans on seeing it?

In our opinion the zombie genre is timeless. It's good to see new movies making use of the latest special effects and contributing to the entire zombie lore but it's hardly surprising. As for the "Diary of the Dead" we would even rise from the grave to see it :). Of course we will see it, probably many, many times.

GCN: Thanks for your time and we all look forward to playing Dead Island on the Xbox 360 and PC.

Thanks for your interest in DI. Make sure to watch for the new and exciting features we'll uncover in the months to come.

Gaming Console Network will have more coverage of this upcoming zombie epic from Techland. Until then be sure to check out the official Dead Island website for news and images."

1. A taste of everything.
2. Ah! Spoiled meat!
3. Need a hand?
4. People person.
5. Gesundheit.
6. Going steady.
7. Road trip.
8. Right 4 life.
9. Oh, no you didn't!*
10. How many days exactly?
11. Humanitarian.
12. Knock, knock.
13. Cardio.
14. School of hard knocks.
15. Warrenty viod if used.
16. Gotta find them all.
17. 10 heads better than 1.
18. I want one of those.
19. Can't touch this.
20. Steam punk.
21. First!
22. A very special day.
23. Legen... wait for it...
24. Rageman.
25. Menage et trois.
26. Tis but a flesh wound.
27. Busy, busy, busy.
28. Light my fire.
29. Learning the ropes.
30. Together in the light.
31. Swing them sticks.
32. Savior.
33. Everybody lies.
34. Nearly there.
35. There and back again.
36. Originality
37. Catch.
38. Dedicated student.
39. One is all I need.
40. To put it bluntly.**
41. Karma-geddon.**
42. Tae kwon leap. **
43. Hack & Slash. **
44. Guns don't kill but they help. **
45. Hell in paradise. (i)***
46. No racoons in here. (ii) ***
47.Welcome to the jungle. (iii) ***
48.Banoii redemption. (iv) ***